The field of inventions is material handling equipment, and more specifically a fork lift style device for handling and manipulating barrels, including unloading from tight packing vertical packing to horizontal placement in racks.
Devices are well known that allow barrels to be lifted and moved by forklift trucks. They are typically for industrial metal barrels, and the gripping is usually along the center circumference.
In the case of wooden barrels, such as are used in the production of spirits, fine wines and craft beers, gripping the center of the barrel is problematic. The grip member can detach or damage anything in the bung hole of a full barrel, or the gripping force could damage the barrel.
Such prior art devices are typically used to lift and move barrels that are upright, and remain upright after movement by the forklift.
It is easier to ship empty barrels upright, that is the cylindrical axis is vertical.
However, filled barrels are stored disposed with the cylindrical axis horizontal, usually to set in racks that space apart adjacent barrel and then stagger the lateral rows when stacking racks in a wall like structure. This stacked arrangement provide access to the upright bung hole at the center of the barrel for inspection, filling, sampling and pumping or siphoning the contents without removing the barrels from the rack.
However, such wood barrels eventually need to be cleaned, shaved, reconditioned and/or re-toasted, some of which can only be done at central facilities in which the barrel is in upright orientation with the cylindrical axis vertical.
According, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus capable of both moving barrels to and from racks (horizontal orientation of the cylindrical axis) and rotating them to an upright orientation for storage, shipment and repair or re-conditioning at for example, different and remote facilities.
In such relocation to remote facilities, or return to a winery for use, it is also desirable to pack them laterally in trucks, while also stacking each laterally packed layer on another.
Such close packing in layers presents challenges for moving all the barrels in a truck, or into a truck, with only a forklift and no hand labor. The gripping mechanism and clearance to remove and disengage the grip members may require clearance around each barrel.
Lifting barrel and transporting them even a short distance to stack/un-stack them, as well as align them, can require multiple works, subjecting each to risk repetitive strain and other injuries, including falling barrels when appropriate pre-cautions are not taken.
Accordingly, the inventor has determined there is a need for improved barrel handling mechanisms more compatible with the use of wooden wine barrels, for both storage and shipping that fully eliminates the need for hand labor in lifting, rotating and moving barrels.
The inventor has also determined there is a need for such improved barrel handling mechanisms that are highly efficient and avoid damage to the barrels during gripping.
More particularly, there is such a need for such improved barrel handling mechanisms adapted to wooden wine barrels, for both storage and shipping, which fully eliminates the need for hand labor in lifting, rotating and moving barrels.
Accordingly, among many objectives of the invention are improved worker safety with preferably improved efficiency, in a manner that avoids damage to person or barrels from either handling or collapse of unstable stacks.
Another objective necessary to obtain such efficiency and safety, is a means to safely and accurately reach and place barrels in confined spaces, the confinement being imposed by the interior walls of a structure, such as a truck interior, as well as the rows and stack of adjacent barrels, in addition to the vertical racks structure when the barrels are placed for use.
The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings